Connection verification between circuit board and circuit tester

Abstract

An apparatus and a method is provided for verifying electrical coupling between a first contact point of an electrical device on a circuit board and a first connection pin, on a board tester. Within the tester, a JK flip-flop is electrically coupled to the first connection pin through an amplifier. A Q output of the JK flip-flop is initialized to a logic 0. An electrical probe with an electrical voltage is stroked across the first contact point and any other contact points on the circuit. If the first contact point is electrically coupled to the first connection pin, a logic 1 will be held on the Q output of the JK flip-flop. If there is no electrical coupling, then a logic 0 will be held on the Q output. By reinitializing the JK flip-flop and electrically coupling it to another connection pin, electrical coupling between another contact point and another connection pin may be tested.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of verifying electrical coupling between a first contact point on a circuit board, and a connection pin on another device, the method comprising: temporarily coupling a first electrical voltage to a plurality of contact points the plurality of contact points including the first contact point;   detecting a second electrical voltage on the connection pin; and,   storing a third electrical voltage, wherein the value of the third electrical voltage varies depending on whether the second electrical voltage equals the first electrical voltage.   
     
     
       2. A method as in claim 1 wherein temporarily coupling a first electrical voltage to the plurality of contact points comprises: initializing a probe to the first electrical voltage; and   stroking the probe across the plurality of contact points.   
     
     
       3. An apparatus for verifying electrical coupling between a contact point and a connection pin, the apparatus comprising: a probing means, temporarily coupled to a first of the contact point and the connection pin, for temporarily changing the electrical voltage on the the first of the contact point and the connection pin;   a storing means, coupled to a second of the contact point and the connection pin, for detecting and storing a voltage change on the second of the contact point and the connection pin, wherein the storing means stores a first voltage if the contact point and the connection pin are electrically coupled, and a second voltage if the contact point and the connection pin are not electrically coupled.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first of the contact point and the connection pin is the contact point, the second of the contact point and the connection pin is the connection pin and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of contact points including the first contact point, wherein the probing means is stroked across the plurality of contact points, being independently, temporarily, and electrically coupled to each of the plurality of contact points. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as in claim 4 additionally comprising: a second connection pin mechanically coupled to the first connection pin but not electrically coupled to the first connection pin; and   a second storing means, electrically coupled to the second connection pin, for detecting and storing a voltage change on the second connection pin; and   wherein the plurality of contact points includes a second contact point wherein the second storing means stores the first voltage if the second contact point and the second connection pin are electrically coupled, and the second voltage if the second contact point and the second connection pin are not electrically coupled.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first of the contact point and the connection pin is the connection pin, the second of the contact point and the connection pin is the contact point and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of connection pins including the first connection pin, wherein the probing means is stroked across the plurality of connection pins, being independently, temporarily, and electrically coupled to each of the plurality of connection pins.